The Faculty of Making Fortunate Discoveries by Accident
by Wordwielder
Summary: Peter Parker meets a beautiful girl named Mary Jane Watson. AU series, with each chapter a new way they meet. T for future chapters, probably.
1. Chapter 1

**So I've decided to do an AU series of MJ and Peter's first meeting. I'd love to hear any ideas you guys have! They'll probably all be fairly short, and all include the famous MJ line: "Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot!"**

Peter's doodling on the cover of his binder. He's set for this class. He probably did all the dissections they'll do this year when he was twelve. He'll still enjoy it, sure, and it'll be an easy GPA boost. Connors is a nice guy, and a great teacher. Maybe if he's really, really lucky, Connors will grant his unanswered prayers and make his lab partner Gwen Stacy, a very pretty blonde girl and the one threat to Peter's valedictorian status. For once, he wouldn't have to do all the work, and he might even get a date out of it.

Connors calls his name. He's reading off lab partners. "Pete—you'll be with Mary Jane here."

Peter looks up, trying to not to look disappointed. Then, wow. He's _so _not. The girl has long red hair flying behind her as she stands up to sit next to him. She's wearing a fuchsia sweater that should clash horribly with her hair, by all laws of reason Peter has been taught, but instead it brings out the bright flush of her cheeks and the shining green of her eyes.

"Hi, I'm MJ!" she chirps. "I can hand you test tubes and stuff. I'm sorry, science isn't my thing, but I'll help."

"That's, that's good," Peter stammers out. "Science_is_ my thing," he grins at her. "We've got this."

She winks. "Face it, Tiger," she says, "You just hit the jackpot."


	2. Chapter 2

Peter's pressed against a locker, contemplating the damage Flash Thompson's fist is about to do to his face in about ten seconds when he hears a loud voice with just an edge of a New York accent.

"Hello, boys, what's going on over here? Looks like a real party, but there can't ever be a party without me."

Flash looks over his shoulder and releases Peter's shirt. He's still boxed in by Flash's football goons, or he'd try to make a run while Flash is distracted.

"Uh, hey, MJ," Flash says, smiling and running his hand through his hair in that sickening casual way that makes girl salivate. "What's up?"

There's a redheaded girl carrying a dance bag standing there, wearing red lipstick and a purple t-shirt slipping off a freckled shoulder. Her hands are on her hips, and her eyes are flashing. She ignores Flash beyond a contemptuous glance. "Well, hi, Peter," she says casually. "We've never met, but my friend Liz knows you. She tells me you're the smartest kid she knows. That true? be honest, now."

"Well, um, I don't know-"

She rolls her eyes. "I said honest, not modest."

"I guess," he mutters.

"Well, in that case, would you like to be my calculus tutor? I'm hopeless."

"I- sure?"

"Well, perfect! If you're not too busy with these_ lovely_ people-" She cast a disdainful glance at Flash, "how's right now to start? I'll buy you a cheeseburger from O'Malley's as payment."

"Yeah, I love that place," he blurts out. "It's really close to my house."

"Mine too! I live in Forest Hills."

"Me too!"

"Small world," she exclaimed. "I appreciate the help. See, boys," MJ explained. "Peter's smart. He's probably going to be your boss one day, so if I were you, I'd leave him alone from now on if you don't want to be working every Christmas ten years from now. You ready to get out of here, tiger?"

It takes him a full second to realize she means _him_.

She smiles at the guys around him. "Move, so Pete can get by."

They move, stunned.

"And Flash? I think we won't be going out on Friday after all. Matt, Kong, Dalton- you never had a chance, no matter how smooth you thought you were. I'll see you boys around." She sashays off, and he watches her movements for a second before he follows, tripping over his feet to catch up.

She pulls her hair from its ponytail, shakes out her hair, and grins at him. Her earlier smiles had been charming and dangerous. This is bright and warm and _dazzling_. "You alright there, tiger?"

"Yeah, I'm- I owe you one, MJ."

"Oh, no big deal. I don't like arrogant jerks like that pushing cool people like you around."

"Cool?" Peter laughs. "Not the first word I would use to describe myself."

"You're definitely cool. I can tell these things," she assures him. "I really do need your help with calculus, though. I'm awful. My friend Gwen- you know Gwen, I'm sure, she's pretty wonderful- she keeps trying to help me, but I just don't get it."

"I'll try my best," Peter promises. "My friend Harry says I'm a good tutor."

She perks up. "Oh, Harry Osborn?"

"Yeah. Do you know him?"

"Oh, yes, he's in a few of my classes. He's been a doll, taken me out a few times. I'm new, you know," she explains. "I just moved in with my Aunt Anna."

"Anna Watson?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, it really is a small world. She's a friend of my aunt's- May Parker- she lives next door to us! I knew her niece was moving in, Aunt May was making me come over to introduce myself this week- I can't believe I haven't seen you around before now."

"It's been _crazy._I moved from Philly- it's just- family stuff. Crazy stuff, I won't bore you," she said quickly. "I haven't been out as much as I normally would. But you're my neighbor! What a coincidence! This makes Queens better."

"Forest Hills is great, you're going to love it," Peter tells her. "I'll show you around. If you want."

She grins at him again. Her eyes are green. They had seemed much darker before. "I'd love that, Petey Boy. God, I'm starving. I'm serious about that cheeseburger. Let's go."

"Okay," he found himself grinning back at her.

"Our first date," she teases. "You just hit the jackpot, tiger."

He's pretty sure he has.


	3. Chapter 3

It's somewhere around one in the morning and Peter is fairly sure he's imagining the knocking at the door until it gets more insistent. He stumbles off the couch and swings the door open. "Yeah?" he asks blearily.

"Hi!" she says brightly, and he blinks. "I'm so sorry, I know it's late."

She's wearing a turquoise blue concoction of feathers and sequins that after it stops assaulting your eyes is kind of pretty. But highly out of place in this bland apartment complex hallway.

"I just got off work," she says, "And I'm locked out of my apartment."

"Are you 3B then?" he asks. "My roommate Harry told me you moved in."

"Yep, that's me! I can't find my key, and well, I thought about waking up the super for another, but I don't want to make him too mad yet. Then I remembered Harry told me to drop by if I ever needed anything. You must be Peter! He mentioned you. Is he here?"

Peter feels a distressing flash of jealousy that Harry's already impressed this girl. He didn't even leave him half a chance.

"Oh, yeah, I'm Mary Jane! People call me MJ."

"Nice to meet you, MJ," he says. "Come in. Um, do you want anything?"

"Oh, just to use your phone. Oh, gosh, will a locksmith be open?" She sits on the couch and starts to kick off her frighteningly high heels. It's remarkable she can walk with such grace in those.

"Probably not," Peter tells her.

She groans. "I guess I will have to wake up Mr. Zarkofski."

"You can sleep here," Peter offers without thinking. Oh, wonderful. A pretty face and he's already giving up his bed.

"Really! Thanks, Pete! Harry told me you were just a doll. Do you have a toothbrush I can borrow?"

He leads her to his bathroom. "They're under the sink. You can shower if you want. I'm sorry, I only have guy shampoo."

"I love guy shampoo," she winks. "Thanks, tiger." She pushes him out of his bathroom and he hears the water turn on. He waits until the water turns off again and knocks. She's started singing a jazzy show tune. She has a nice voice. "I'm leaving some pajamas out here for you," he calls. "I'll be in the living room."

She breaks off in the middle of a line and says, "Thanks, Petey. I'm almost done here."

She comes in the living a lot less sparkly and surprisingly just as dazzling, in his ESU sweatshirt and too wide across the hips flannel bottoms. She plops down on the couch next to him and leans back. "Ah, yes, this'll do nicely."

"You can have my bed," he offers. "It's cool."

"Nah, this is fabulous. Cozy."

"Really, you're our guest. I'd offer you Harry's bed, but who knows when he'll get in…"

"You're eager to get me in your bed, aren't you, tiger?" she teases, and he turns red, and she laughs.

"Guess chivalry isn't dead after all," she says, then stands up and stretches. "You coming?"

He sputters; she chuckles.

"Face it, tiger. Me in your bed? You just hit the jackpot. Have fun sleeping out here alone!" She prances into his room and leaps into his bed, the door slamming shut behind her.

Dammit. His pillow and favorite blanket are in here.

And judging from the floaty laugh from the other side of the door, she knows it just as well as he does.

Harry is going to be very surprised tomorrow morning, Peter thinks.


	4. Chapter 4

He opens the door to a redhead with a cheetah print headband. She opens her mouth, and he cuts her off quickly, seeing the flyers in her hand. Aunt May can't stand to refuse Jehovah's witnesses, even though she's sure as hell not going to convert. She usually distracts them with cookies and small talk, but they're determined, and they stay for hours in his kitchen so he can't even get a snack without being dragged into the conversation about his soul and its eternal salvation.

"We have already been saved by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," he says rapidly and tries to shut the door. She grabs it with her free hand.

"Well, that's great for you, but I'm not a Jehovah's witness, tiger."

"Oh," he blushes. "Sorry. My aunt, she's a big softy, she always lets them in."

"So you were preemptively trying to prevent an invasion?" she smirks. "Listen, I'm just passing out flyers for the community theatre. We're doing a matinee production of Annie to benefit an orphanage in Brooklyn. It's a three tomorrow." She holds out a flyer expectantly, and he takes it.

"Are you in it?" he inquires.

"The sun'll come out tomorrow," she answers sagely, then grins. "You're looking at Annie. Anyway, you and your aunt should come."

"We'll be there," he promises.

She laughs and starts down the porch. "You just hit the jackpot, tiger! You just met a _star_!" she bats her lashes and him and walks briskly to knock on his neighbor's door.

"Wow," he murmurs, flipping through the program.

MARY JANE WATSON as ANNIE! The front proclaims.

And underneath, Miss Watson herself has signed his copy—along with her phone number.


	5. Chapter 5

"See, I'd go to Wal-Mart," Harry says, reclining as much as he can in the uncomfortable school chairs and swearing when he cracks his back. "Why aren't we one of those hippie schools that have bean bag chairs?"

"You've got money, buy us some," Peter rolls his eyes. "Wal-Mart is way too exposed. Think how many entrances there are. How would you keep the zombies out?"

"Okay, but it has tons of ammo," Harry counters. "And food."

"I'd go to a factory. Way easier to defend, plus there's bound to be supplies there."

Harry's opening his mouth to argue when a voice behind them speaks up. "I'd go to a small grocery store with a pharmacy. There'd be tons of supplies. Plus when everyone gets the plague, you can access all the meds."

Peter turns around to see a girl he vaguely recognizes. He thinks she might be friends with Gwen Stacy, who Peter is friendly with.

Harry cocks his head. "Mary Jane, right?"

"Guilty as charged," she replies cheerfully.

"What would you do for defense?" Peter asks.

She twists her mouth. "I always pictured myself knocking heads off with shovels," she replies. "You'd have to get in closer, but you wouldn't need to reload it. What about you?"

Peter shrugs. "I think I'd be more behind the scenes. The guy working on the cure and amputating infected limbs and stuff."

"A scientist, eh?" she grins. "You can join my zombie apocalypse team."

"I'm honored," Peter replies.

"Alright, let's get started," Connors calls. Peter smiles at MJ and turns around.

"Face it Tiger," MJ whispers. "You just hit the jackpot."

He grins like an idiot and kicks Harry under the table when he starts laughing.


	6. Chapter 6

He can't believe he's doing this. The photography thing is supposed to be freelance. Get pics of Spidey, I'll take them, I'll get you a Christmas ham but you don't have a job. Yet he's so goddamn broke he's taking A&amp;E photos.

It's kind of a cool assignment, though. Better than when JJJ makes him go to _society balls. _He'd rather fight the Sandman with a broken arm than repeat that experience. He's going with Ned Leeds to cover Mary Jane Watson, a newcomer on Broadway who's about play Ariel in _The Little Mermaid. _Opening night is tomorrow, and they're getting the interview and photos at dress rehearsal today. He's seen Mary Jane in magazines and on billboards, and she's stunning. Might be nice to meet a star, especially a beautiful gal.

Ned nods to him as they meet outside the theatre. "Hi, Pete. Betty says hello."

"Tell her I said hey back," Peter replies as they pass under the arch and enter the lobby. Betty and Peter dated for a while. She was his first love, he supposes, but she was too fragile for his crazy life. He's glad she's happy with Ned, and that they can still be civil, even if it's still a little awkward.

They enter the auditorium to the director yelling at their girl. She's yelling right back.

"We've kissed about twelve thousand times, no wonder we're 'losing the passion!'" she yells at the guy, a middle-aged man in a beret who look furious.

"It's your job to keep the passion, MJ! C'mon, you have to make this _real _for the audience!"

"Okay, what am I doing wrong, then?" she demands.

He throws up his hands. "You need me to teach you how to kiss?"

Peter and Ned stand awkwardly in the back, exchanging 'what the hell do we do' glances; MJ's eyes land on them and she calls, "Ooh, press. C'mon down, boys."

They come on down.

"Listen, Bart," she says, "Do you want it more like-" She seizes Peter's arm and kisses him, softly, sweetly, tenderly, and then pulls away, smiling at his expression (which he's sure is basically screaming _what oh my god I just kissed Mary Jane Watson_) "or do you want it more like-" she grabs him again, and this time her kiss is hungrier, wilder, and lasts longer.

"Christ, MJ, this is a Disney production."

"Oh, sorry," she says, separating from him. "Okay. What'll it be, Bart?"

"Can you combine the two? The sweet thing was good, but you need to really feel how desperately she loves this guy."

"So, like this?" And she kisses his again. She starts out soft, almost hesitant, but then she leans into him, and her hands brush over his cheekbones, and her tongue meets his before she slowly pulls away.

"There it is!" The director claps. "Now if we could get that with Aaron..." (Her costar, Peter remembers, and feels a rush of envy for the lucky bastard getting to taste her lips every night.) "Say, kid, can you play a decent Prince?"

"Uh- _no," _he laughs, and he knows he's blushing hard.

"Sorry about that, tiger," she apologizes to him, grinning, tucking a piece of her red hair behind her ear. "I learn best by doing."

"Uh, no problem," he stammers.

"No hard feelings then? Fantastic. C'mon, let's go to my dressing room."

"You have _twenty minutes_," the director threatens behind them.

"Relax, Bart!" she calls back, leading them through the wings and into her dressing room. Makeup and stray costumes are everywhere, and she sits in front of her dressing table like she's comfortable there.

The interview is straightforward, Peter thinks. She talks as she starts applying her makeup. He watches her, how she moves, how she laughs, her eyes and how they shine when she talks about her work. He gets a few candid shots of her, and he knows they'll work. She wishes them a cheerful goodbye, and they start for the stage exit when Peter grabs Ned's arm and says, "Hey, wait for me outside, okay?" and runs back.

He knocks on her dressing room door, and she opens it and smiles. "Hey. Forget something?"

"My name is Peter Parker, and this is nuts, but I'd like if maybe we could go get dinner sometime? When you're not busy?" he blurts out. She cocks her head at him. He really is a complete moron, he thinks as the seconds pass. Like Mary Jane Watson is going to go out with a guy like him.

"You know what? I would love to, Peter Parker. You're a good kisser, and don't let this go to your head, but you're just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. Let me just-" she writes her number on his hand in black ink. "Call me, 'kay? I have shows every night, but I can do breakfast or lunch."

"Great," he stammers out. "I-uh-great."

"Face it, tiger," she winks. "You just hit the jackpot."


	7. Chapter 7

Peter's in the sandbox, carefully shaping a mound of shape into a castle, when he hears the snuffling. He pauses and pushes up his glasses. They're a little too big, but Aunt May teared up at the optometrist, saying how much he looked like his father, and Peter decided on them right then. The snuffling is starting to sound more like crying. It sounds like a girl, he thinks, close by, too.

He glances around. It's early morning, and not many kids are out. Most of them are over near the swing set or the jungle gym. Peter prefers this shady corner of the playground, where he can play quietly and Aunt May can sit under the pavilion nearby and see him while she knits.

After a particularly loud and painful sob, Peter rises and brushes the sand off his pants. He follows the sounds to a tree growing behind the tunnel, and tilts his head upwards to see the source of the crying perched in a branch just over his head.

For such big noises, the crying girl is sure small, almost delicate. Her hair is bright red. There's dirt smudged on her cheek.

Peter coughs quietly so she'll realize she's not alone. She stops mid-sob and glares down at him. "What?" she demands, voice shaky.

"Are you okay?"

She scoffs. "Great."

Peter bites his lip. What should he do? He feels intensely uncomfortable, but he wants to help. "Can I come up?"

She blinks, surprised. "It's a free country."

He manages to drag himself up, banging his elbows and head more than once. Finally, he's reaching for the limb next to her, and she surprises him by offering her hand to help him hop on the branch.

"What's your name?" he asks.

"Mary Jane," she answers. "Who're you?"

"Peter Parker," he says, and they shake hands formally.

"You wanna split my cookie?" he asks, realizing she's not gonna just _say_ why she was crying.

She nods. He gives her the bigger half.

They sit in the tree for about fifteen minutes before she speaks again.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Was it homemade?"

"Yeah. My aunt made it."

"Tell her thanks."

"You can tell her, if you want," he replies. "She's right there."

"Oh. Is she watching you today?"

"I live with her and my Uncle Ben," he explains, bracing himself for the inevitable next question. Instead she just nods. "I'm living with my aunt for a while too. My parents are getting divorced."

"Oh," Peter fumbles out. "Sorry."

"That's not why I was crying," Mary Jane says. "I was crying because my mom is sick."

"What's wrong? Does she need a doctor?"

Mary Jane shrugs. "Aunt Anna says she's heartsick. She stays in bed all day, crying. I'm s'posed to leave her be. My sister doesn't wanna play and Anna's too busy. It's so boring here."

"You can play with me," Peter offers impulsively. He doesn't get along with most kids, and little girls usually terrify him. But he likes Mary Jane. She's different from anyone he's ever met.

She eyes him carefully. "Okay," she says at last, then jumps out of the tree and lands on the ground, springing back up easily. "C'mon tiger, you just hit the jackpot," she grins, and at last he sees her smile. She's got a gap between her front teeth.

"Huh?" Peter says.

"Are you coming?" she demands. "I want to swing."

He jumps, stumbling when his feet hit the earth, but she grabs his arm and steadies him.

"Let's swing," she urges, and he follows her as she scampers toward the swing set.

They play together until Aunt May calls for him, and her face, finally bright and cheerful, falls. "Bye, Pete," she mumbles. "It was fun."

"Wait!" Peter grabs her wrist, and she turns back to him. "Come back tomorrow, I'll come again."

Her face brightens again. "Okay!"

The next day, he finds her waiting on the swing set, and when she sees him, she grins brilliantly and runs to him. They play in the sandbox. Peter builds, and MJ decorates his creations with sticks and rocks and flours. They make an entire village before Aunt May calls him for lunch. Mary Jane looks glumly down, and Peter asks without even thinking, "D'you wanna come? My aunt won't mind."

"Okay," she agrees readily.

"Aunt May," Peter calls, running to the pavillion where she's waiting. "This is my friend Mary Jane, can she eat lunch with us?"

"Well, would that be alright with your parents, dear?" May asks.

Mary Jane scrunches up her nose. "Yeah, I don't think you'll kidnap me."

May bursts into laughter. "Aren't you a firecracker," she chortles. "Come along, dears. I'll make sandwiches."

Mary Jane inhales the sandwiches and thanks Aunt May profusely."It's no trouble, dear," May answers. "Would you two like some cookies?" They both cheer.

"She's so nice," MJ whispers to Peter, who nods, pleased.

"Now, Mary Jane dear, you're welcome here, of course, but when you need to go home, I'll get Ben and Peter to walk you. I can't have a little girl like you alone on the roads, especially if you leave after dark. Where do you live?"

MJ recites an address, and Mary exclaims, "Well, I'll be! You're Anna Watson's niece, then?"

"Uh-huh," MJ says around a mouthful of cookie.

"Well, Anna is a dear friend...and she lives just a house or two over! My, my. What a small world."

May lets MJ stay the entire day, almost. Peter wonders if she's heard how MJ's mom is sick. Just after dark, Mary Jane stands up from the Lego tower they've been building and grumbles, "I should go home."

Uncle Ben tells Peter he's big enough and trustworthy enough to walk MJ home alone, and he flushes with pride. Both Ben and May give MJ hugs when she thanks them for their hospitality.

"Anytime, darling," May assures. "Now, Peter, be careful."

MJ looks defeated when they arrive at her house. Anna pokes her head out. "Now, Mary Jane! Where have you been all day?"

"With Peter," she replies, with just a hint of defiance. Anna sees Peter and nods with a smile. "May's Peter! Lovely to see you. Now come in, Mary Jane. Tell your folks I said hello, Peter!"

"Bye, Pete," Mary Jane calls. "Parting is such sweet sorrow!"

Anna snorts. "I don't know where you pick up these things," he hears her say as the door swings shut.

Peter asks Uncle Ben what MJ meant as soon as he gets home. His uncle's brows shoot up, and he chuckles. "Precocious girl. It's a line from Romeo and Juliet, a famous love story by Shakespeare. It means that saying goodbye is a good kind of sad."

"A good kind of sad?" Peter repeats, skeptical.

"It's beyond me too, kiddo," Ben assures.

* * *

Three weeks into his friendship with MJ, Peter asks Aunt May what it means to be in love as she's tucking him in.

"Well," she muses. "It's...when you see another person for who they are, and you still think they're perfect. And you want to them to feel the same about themselves."

"I'm in love with Mary Jane," he tells her seriously. "What should I do?"

May fights valiantly not to laugh. "Keep being her friend. When it's time to tell her, you'll know."

Peter tells Mary Jane he loves her when they're fourteen, and she cries as she whispers, "Me too, tiger."

As far as awkward teenage first kisses go, this one is perfect.

**Dear God, this was gonna be short. And not nearly as diabetes sweet. Still, I hope you enjoyed it. **


	8. Chapter 8

It's been a shitty day.

Sandman royally kicked his ass before Peter managed to wash him down the sewer; Jonah docked his pay for not delivering anything that could be used against Spidey; he probably failed his bio test today; Aunt May has pneumonia and keeps trying to get out of bed anyway.

So he takes some ibuprofen and goes to a bar to get hammered.

He's about two drinks in when he hears a girl saying loudly, "Listen, dick, back off."

"C'mon, baby," a clearly drunk guy slurs. Peter turns his head and sees some muscle-head in a wife-beater pressing a gorgeous redhead into the bar. He keeps tryign tpo reahc out and touch her, and she keeps squirming away from his hands.

"I said to fuck off," She bites out.

"C'mon, you don't dress like that for no reason," he purrs.

Peter's up and walking towards this dickbag before he even realizes it.

But before he gets there, the girl pours her drink over the guys head, and when he's sputtering, punches him a good one in the jaw.

"I dress like this because I want to, asshole," she says, pushing him off her.

For a second, he's on his ass on the floor, gaping. Then he barrels up, fists clenched. "Bitch!" The guy yells, and Peter yells, "Hey!" and when he turns his head, decks him in the nose. He feels the bone crunch; he was so mad he forgot to soften his blow.

"What the fuck?" The guy yelps.

"I don't like how you're talking to the lady, man," Peter says softly. "Why don't you get going before I reiterate my point?"

"Fuck you both," the guy hisses, getting up and stalking out of the bar. The bartender comes over and glares. "You gonna make any more trouble, boy?"

"No sir, he won't," the girl says, smiling brightly at him. The big, muscly, tattooed guy softens and says, "Can I get you another drink, miss?"

"Yep, and one of whatever my friend here is having," she says, clapping him on the shoulder. He nods, and then the girl turns to Peter.

"Hi," she says pleasantly. "Hi," Peter replies.

She sticks out her hand. "I'm Mary Jane, but most people call me MJ."

"I'm Peter," he says, shaking her hand. Their finger clasp and linger together as their eyes catch.

"I appreciate the help, but I didn't really need it," she says. "I'm a waitress, I know how grabby assholes work."

"I know," Peter says. "I just don't like guys like that."

"You and me both," she agrees. "You wanna have a drink with me?"

"Definitely," he says.

They do't actually drink all that much, because they're too busy talking. MJ is a waitress during the day, an aspiring actress, and taking night classes at ESU. She lives in Queens, too. Her favorite movie is _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ and her favorite book is _1984_. As much as he learns, he's telling her back about himself.

He's just told her about his goofy science nerd days, leaving both of them in laughter, when she leans forward and kisses him. He can't help but tangle his hands in her hair and press her closer, and when she finally pulls away, all he can get out is, "Wow."

She smirks. "Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot."

Today wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
